A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change today called on the Government of Guyana to end the lockout of the Guyana Cricket Board and to withdraw the Clive Lloyd-headed Interim Management Committee from cricket operations here.
The joint opposition also called on the government to sign a draft agreement on the matter that had been reached under the auspices of the Caricom Secretariat.
The statement follows:
JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC)
We, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) are calling for an end to the government lock-out of the GCB from its offices at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, Bourda. We are also calling for the government to withdraw the Interim Management Committee (IMC) from cricket operations in Guyana.
The parliamentary majority parties share with all Guyanese the desire to see improvements in the administration, operation and performance at all levels of Guyana’s cricket. However, all interventions must be carried out in accordance with the principles, practices and values that govern sport in today’s world.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has followed the precedent of the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in establishing operating protocols for the non-interference of government in sports. As such, the government of Guyana is acting contrary to the thrust of the international community on matters of sport and is attempting to set a dangerous precedent for all sports in Guyana.
We as the parliamentary majority believe that we must do our best, within the limitation of our available resources and with due recognition of competing national priorities, to provide the necessary support to ensure that we are developing young athletes and we are providing the enabling environment for them to perform well at international levels. However, this must never translate into interference in the operations of sports administrations. To meddle in the operations of sports administration is to risk being excommunicated from the regional and international sporting fraternities – clear signs of which we have already seen with the WICB having moved four critical matches from Guyana. There is a serious risk of Guyana losing the West Indies v Australia Test match as a result of the continued Government of Guyana imposed lock out of the GCB. The last thing the Government of Guyana should be seeking to achieve is to bring more embarrassment to Guyana on the regional and international scene by their continued action.
We are therefore calling on the government today to return to the agreement reached on January 11 during talks brokered by the CARICOM Secretariat between the Government of Guyana and the WICB.
The agreement, when signed allows, among other things, for the GCB to resume cricket operations in Guyana under the mandate of the WICB and ICC while at the same time allowing the IMC to draft and propose a new constitution for GCB, and to draft and propose a comprehensive cricket development programme for Guyana.
Since the GCB and the WICB both expressed a willingness to work with the IMC under these conditions there is no reason for the Government to withhold signature and undermine the efforts of the CARICOM Secretariat and in particular the CARICOM Secretary General as an honest broker in a matter that has significance and consequences way beyond our own borders.
Finally, we in the majority parliamentary parties are encouraged that a way was found for the Guyana team to participate in the Regional 4-Day Tournament and wish to encourage the players to put the difficulties at home behind them in order to turn in the kinds of performance that always lift the national mood.
